The Frock Doc

Trial at my awards dinner outfit - any suggestions would be lovely!

I really like this frock and I would like to keep it, but I'm up for negotiation for everything else!

Oh, it's an evening event: should I go for a red lip?

Cheers,
Lyn

I haven't busted out my separates for awhile now, because it's easier to just cop out and wear a dress sometimes, especially when it is super warm outside!

I was looking in my WiW archives for some inspiration and found out that one year ago around this time, I was wearing a ton of separates! I picked out five of my favourites and I thought it'd be fun to try and see how my style has changed now!

For the next five days (or so), I'm going to try to use the same base pieces that I had last year (still have many of the same things) and see what happens in terms of an outfit!

I won't replicate the same thing, because that's just kind of silly and probably defeats the whole purpose of this ... I don't think any of these outfits, even if 100% replicated would be too far from my day-to-day style, though! 

Let the games begin!

Oi, I have these dresses in my closet that I have a hard time wearing - I was going through my closet and came across these dresses that weren't really working as dresses anymore, so I took some time (about 2hrs) with my sewing machine to convert them!

And I've made an outfit for each of them for next week (I have two overnight shifts, so I only need 4 outfits)!

Dress 1/2 - Anthropologie dress I got for a song; but the top is definitely cut small for a size 4 and as a result of this, I can't really wear it! I was hoping to convert this, as there was a cute Boden skirt I saw - The Poppy Skirt - that this plaid reminds me of (http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/.....Skirt.html)

Dress 3/4 - Loved this pattern (who doesn't love deer frolicking in a meadow?), but again, the top was cut too small for me; it is an Anna Sui for Anthropologie dress. Kept the playful pattern and the ribbon tie :)

Dress 5/6 - My repellant dress from F&F I bought in a size 10 and a 12, but the 12 fits me up top a lot better, so the 10 is going to be a skirt! Flouncy!

Dress 7/8 - I've shown you this one before, but I made a few modifications to the flounce of the skirt to keep the pockets and not have the rear end be too saggy (which was a design flaw in the first version).

I thought I'd share my crafts with you :)

I have recently started a few different blogs, and a few of the articles of clothing I have come across have really spoken to me. I picked the three dresses enclosed in this article, because I feel that they really emphasize the kind of style that I really like for warmer weather: longer lengths, fit and flare, and generally, a higher neckline (1/3). I was so happy to find the dresses in stock (and on sale!) that I snapped them up right away, and can't wait to play with them in my closet.

So far, I haven't been disappointed by any of my "blogger suggested" articles of clothes. It's probably worthy to note that these were all dresses that the bloggers bought themselves (as opposed to were gifted by companies).

Moving forward, should I be cautious when using bloggers as inspiration to stay true to what I know works and be inspired by something that works for them, to see if it will work for me? I'm a little worried I'll become a blogger copy cat (although I will never have as many shoes as Amber!)

How do you balance the "advertisement" for things to be used as an inspiration vs. a pure copycat? 

• Asos Skater Dress in Check Print, as worn by Brighton (http://www.brightontheday.com/.....midi-dress)
• F&F Polka Dot Prom Dress, as worn by Amber (http://www.foreveramber.co.uk/.....dress.html)
• F&F Limited Edition Scuba Prom Dress, as worn by Amber (http://www.foreveramber.co.uk/.....matic.html)

I tried to take off my skirt today to pee, but it was stuck. Uh oh.

I had hoped there was fabric caught in the teeth of the zipper. I flipped it over and looked: nope. I hoped that pulling the zipper up would work. Nope. Down? Nope.

Luckily, I have a set of miniature scissor-pliers (hemostat) in my white coat, and I used those to pull on the skirt. THE ZIPPER RIPPED. OPEN. THERE WAS NO CLOSING IT.

I realized at this point that I didn't have to take off the skirt to pee but now it was too late. How can I get through the rest of the work day with a skirt with a hole in it where the zipper was supposed to be? I used the hemostat to clamp the hole shut, and let it dangling on the inside. I turned the rip under the white coat so it wouldn't show.

For the rest of the afternoon, I had a pair of scissor-pliers thumping against my leg, but I made it home and all is well.

Luckily, I told my story to ModCloth and they thought it was hilarious and will be sending me a free replacement. Yay! Puppy to make you feel better.

Browsing through my WIW's I'm struggling to find any without toppers - I always have a topper with my outfits, and unfortunately, I find myself in need of appropriate professional attire without a topper :)

Is there anything I should be looking for when I wear sleeveless things? Underarm flab? Lack of underarm flab? 

And the rules stipulate that spaghetti straps are no-no's - so, would that mean straps should be at least 1" thick? I don't think I have very many things that are spaghetti straps, anyway.

Thanks for your assistance :)

ETA - lol; the difference in muscle in my arm between picture #1 and #2 - about 4 months.

Dear YLF,

I am in dire need of help! I am not sure what to bring with me for a week of Palm Springs, although I do know it will be warm. To compound issues, I will be going to Jasper for the weekend before, without time to go home and swap bags - so whatever I'm using for Jasper (time with friends) can be used for both.

This is the dress code for my learning adventures - could someone help me interpret what I can wear? I don't wear shorts or capris. I can wear jeans ... This is what they have sent me:

It is going to be warm in the desert. While I want you to dress neat and be presentable, I also want you to “blend in” with our patients and family members and be comfortable. Suggested attire: 
*jeans 
*walking shorts/ Bermuda shorts (knee length) 
*Capri pants 
*skirts 
*regarding shirts: no spaghetti straps please, belly buttons covered at all times  
*no writing allowed on shirts, school logos are the only exception 
*tennis shoes, sandals, and flip-flops allowed 

I looked in my WIW archive, but found it was hard to find too many casual looks

• Any idea of what kind of style/vibe I should be going for?
• Is a jean jacket topper too casual? Should I be worried about toppers?
• Are pumps too formal? Should I pack up flats?
• Is it warm enough to consider cotton fabrications only?

I just noticed something rather strange - I think I have my closet proportioned as follows with hangers - unintentionally!

I bought a few packages of velvet hangers, and it just so happened to be proportioned like this: 

• 50 black hangers = year-round work dresses
• 25 blue hangers w/ hooks = blouses (hooks for skirts)
• 25 green hangers w/ hooks = casual and date dresses
• 25 beige hangers w/ hooks = summer work dresses
• 25 clear clips = skirts
• 25 thicker plastic hangers = blazers, outerwear, etc.

That adds up to be 175 pieces! Yikes! I think I will try to keep these ratios because it has so far served me well, and I can one in and one out :) - I may add an additional 25 black hangers just to keep it 200 and easy to calculate! I have a bunch of t-shirts and jeans in a plastic tub.

And I'm thinking of starting a collection of how Anthropologie wears a lot of the pieces that I have - as inspiration on how to wear what I already have!

What are your proportions like in your closets? 

... to wear what I want to wear. 

O_o; Is this a problem anyone else has? I just put together seven outfits for a four day week, and I still haven't managed to incorporate all the pieces I want to wear! Ugh.

*grumble*

I used to 100% love these little fit and flare dresses from Closet UK. In fact, I think I have them in almost EVERY colour.

None of them have been getting any love lately. They still fit me well, but I always hesitate to wear them to work because of their length, and I'm always reaching for something else.

I think it says something about the state of the dresses in my closet when I try to go and find pictures of WiW and can only come up with 7 of them in the last two years.

I think passing on the patterned ones will not be painful for me, but I do have a collection of solid coloured ones - red, navy, green, purples ... Should I 1 in 1 out them for something similar but longer length, or hang on to them?